


Done Pretending

by cinderlily



Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-12
Updated: 2010-04-12
Packaged: 2017-10-08 21:51:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/79861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderlily/pseuds/cinderlily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which both of the boys are pretty dense.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Done Pretending

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a reply to one of the Fic Train requests, but spiraled out of control into 3200 words. I don't want to ruin the story so I will put what the request was at the end. Thanks as always goes to the awesome [](http://openice.livejournal.com/profile)[**openice**](http://openice.livejournal.com/) for not only the beta but also the encouragement. (As when I started this I was really really anxious and almost gave up like four times. ;))

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Current mood:** |   
accomplished  
---|---  
**Current music:** | Gavin Rossdale::Love Remains the Same  
**Entry tags:** |   
[cook/archuleta](http://cinderlily.livejournal.com/tag/cook/archuleta), [fics](http://cinderlily.livejournal.com/tag/fics)  
  
  
 

Cook credited the lessons Idol had given him in keeping a straight face during an interview for why he didn’t immediately crack up at Archie’s question. Archie was nothing if not completely genuine, and most likely would have taken his laughter as something it wasn’t meant to be. He wasn’t laughing because it was a funny question but more that the entire situation was kind of ridiculous.

He had finally admitted to himself (and on the same night to Michael) that he had a thing for his young friend and not even twenty-four hours later the boy came to tell him about his own crush. If that wasn’t someone on high laughing at him than he was pretty sure he didn’t even want to know what would be.

He blinked when he suddenly realized that Archie was expecting something from him. Maybe a response? He coughed to clear his throat. “So you’re saying you have a… um … crush?”

Archie flinched a little at the use of the word but nodded. “Yea, I guess that’s what it is? I mean. I just. I think about them. A lot. And when they are near I get all nervous and stupid and blush and I … don’t know what I am supposed to do. At all.”

“Sounds like you got it pretty bad,” Cook smiled fondly. Even if it wasn’t ideal he still wanted to see him happy. “And what do you need from me here?”

“Well, you’re good with people, right?” Archie gesticulated wildly. “So I figured you could … you know. Talk me through it?”

Cook considered it for a second, his fingers brushing against the line of the beard on his chin. “You want me to play Cyrano here?”

“Cyrano?” Archie pulled his brows together. “You mean like the movie with Steve Martin and the big nose, right?”

This was going to end well, Cook could see it already. “Yea, like that. Though I am going to keep my nose the same size if that’s okay with you.”

“You’re weird,” Archie laughed, his face relaxed for the first time the entire conversation. His smile was something that always did Cook in, so he forced himself to look away.

“I have been told that before,” he smiled. “Okay, I’ll help you out.”

Archie beamed at him, “Awesome.”

Over the speakers in the corner of the room they heard the familiar call to get to the side of the stage and Cook patted Archie on the back to turn him around.

“I guess we will have to start tomorrow.”

*

The next morning at breakfast Cook had the sudden realization that if Archie had a crush on someone, it was going to have to be one of his friends. They hadn’t really had much of a chance to get to know the crew yet, it was still too early and besides most of them were male and adult either way. So in the end it was going to have to be one of the girls. That settled weirdly in his gut and he found that the cereal in his bowl was far less appetizing.

“Ground control to Cook,” Michael teased, poking Cook in the arm with his spoon. When Cook shot him an annoyed look he added, “Who pissed in your Wheaties, man?”

Cook sighed and put his spoon down, that lovely image was enough to take away any lingering hunger. He sipped at his coffee. “No one, just didn’t sleep well last night.”

That was also true. After the concert he had spent a few hours mulling over the things he was going to tell Archie. Thought about what had helped him with crushes in the past and also what he could do to soften the blow to his ego at playing matchmaker for a guy he had feelings for.

“This ought to cheer you up,” Michael said, just barely loud enough for him to catch it. When he looked up he saw Archie walking towards the table with a tray full of food. He blocked the urge to laugh at the fact that this was the problem, not the solution to his bad mood.

Archie set down his tray across from Cook and slid into his chair with his usual cheery morning smile. “Hey guys, sorry I’m late.”

“How many times are we going to tell you, Archie,” Michael clucked his tongue and stole the orange juice off of Archie’s tray. “You don’t have to apologize, it’s breakfast, not a press junket or something.”

Archie produced a second box of orange juice from his pocket, a sign that maybe they had been in close quarters too long and waved his hand. “I know, but I like eating breakfast with you guys.”

“I’ll sit with you,” Cook offered before he could really think about it.

Michael smacked Cook on his back and gave a wicked grin. “Good on you, have fun boys.”

Michael stood up and sauntered across the room to where Carly and Brooke were, leaving the two Davids alone at the table.

“Hey,” Archie smiled.

Cook smiled back reflexively. “Morning.”

“Sleep well?”

No. “Yea, slept pretty decent, you?”

“Oh yea,” Archie smiled. “I always get the best sleep after good concerts.”

An awkward silence started, and Cook reached around desperately to find a way to end it. He took a bite of his now completely soggy cereal and then gave up. “So I was thinking about what you asked me about yesterday.”

Archie perked up. “You were?”

“I did,” Cook nodded. “I think maybe we should start with what you know about her. Get a feel for who she is and then go from there.”

Archie hesitated mid bite of the apple in his hand but recovered quickly with a chomp and then swallow. “Well…. Um. Music, I guess?”

“Well that narrows it down, Archie,” Cook teased.

Archie blushed, “I guess you are right, uh. Gosh. Um. Music and uh… friends?” Archie bit his lip. “Family and… books?”

“That’s a good start,” Cook forced a smile. “Maybe just watch them over the next few days and see what they get into. That is always a good starting point. Find your common interests.”

Archie nodded and then looked down at his bowl. “What if … well. They are smarter than me?”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Archie,” David tried and when Archie looked back up at him he saw that he needed more apparently. “You are awesome. You are smart and funny and sweet. She should be so lucky to find a guy like you, got it?”

Archie put a hand up to his neck to rub at it and blushed a little. “Thanks, Cook.”

He felt the weird tug of jealousy in his stomach for this person he didn’t even know. “I just call it how I see it.”

*

It was pretty rare to get all of the Idols in the same car on the way to venues, but their latest venue had been kind enough to send them a van that could fit them all. It was kind of a shock when Archie sat down next to him, he had thought that maybe this would be when Archie made his move. (Had hoped and dreaded that it would let him know who it actually was.)

The drive, which should have taken fifteen minutes, ended up being nearly three times as long by stop and go traffic on the highway. He wasn’t entirely sure who started it but somehow ten minutes in they were all singing together. It started with Michael humming the beginning of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (which they all sang along with except for Archie who censored out the colorful expletives that weren’t part of the original song) and then morphed into “Bohemian Rhapsody” then “Let’s Stay Together”.

It was one of those moments where Cook was reminded just how lucky he was to be where he was. As they slipped into Simon and Garfunkel’s “America” he turned in his seat to see the look on Archie’s face showed he felt the same way. They pulled into the back and saw hundreds of people already waiting at the fence with signs and t-shirts welcoming them.

They ended their last verse of “Crazy Love” in a weird three-part harmony and the van’s driver turned to give them a proper ovation.

“Guess it’s time to do our job or something,” Cook mused to Archie.

Archie smiled and got up, not waiting for Cook to follow but instead falling into step with Carly. Was it Carly? She was beautiful, but a little old maybe for Archie. He seriously was going to have to stop doing that. He loved the girls, he loved Archie. He wasn’t going to let himself resent anyone he loved.

He felt a hand land on his shoulder and someone whispered in his ear, “Watch it, Cookie, you might set her hair on fire.”

“Never telling you anything again,” Cook turned to give a glare to Michael.

Michael laughed as they stepped out, “You know you love me.”

With a deliberate mask of carefree laissez faire he walked ahead and slowed down as he caught up to Carly and Archie. They were talking about a song Carly was working on and Archie was excitedly asking for her to hum the melody and then after getting a feel for it he started singing along. The smile on his face was large and purely happy. _Carly_, it must be Carly then, she was sweet and kind enough.

When Archie turned around in the middle of a chorus, his smile turned into a huge grin. He stopped in his tracks and waited for Cook to catch up completely. “Did you hear this new song, Cook? It’s awesome!”

“It sounds pretty good,” Cook smiled, cause damn if Archie’s excitement wasn’t catching.

Carly looked affronted, “Pretty good? _Pretty good_? You sure know how to pay a compliment, Cook.“

“Sorry, Carly,” Cook put his hands up to show defeat. “It was amazing, perfect, best song I have ever heard?”

Archie laughed when Carly punched Cook’s arm. Cook could see the slight red in Archie’s cheeks and swallowed hard. He had the sudden feeling of being an intruder.

“I need to go ask Brooke something,” he lied and moved forward before any more questions could be asked.

From behind him he heard Carly call playfully, “That’s right, Cook, you better run!”

 

*

 

By the time the concert rolled around Cook had successfully avoided talking to Archie the entire day. He told himself that it was to give him a chance to make his move on Carly. The thing was, other than after the bus, Archie hadn’t really talked to Carly that much through the day. He talked with Brooke for a while, while Cook did his sound check. During dinner he had sat right next to Cook but had talked with Jason the entire meal.

As usual they ended up in the Green room alone for a little while before Archie left to do his set. Cook didn’t think that he could skirt around talking to him without really telegraphing his problem so he bit the bullet and went head first into the question.

“How’s it going, Casanova?” he forced a smile.

Archie blushed and rubbed his neck awkwardly, “Gosh, don’t call me that.”

“Did you learn anything new?” Cook tried.

He got a nod but Archie couldn’t look him in the eyes. ”Yea, I guess I learned a little bit.”

“So…” Cook thought better than to ask exactly what he learned. He would rather not have that mental image. “So you use that and maybe figure a way to make that into a date. Nothing too stressful, casual.”

Archie bit his lip and thought about it. “Maybe like a group date?”

“That could definitely work,” Cook shrugged.

A stagehand knocked on the open door, only leaning her head in to say, “Mr. Archuleta? Two minutes.”

“Thanks,” Archie shot her a grin and then turned back to Cook to smile even wider. “You too, Cook. Thanks for all your help, I don’t know what I’d do with out you.”

Cook shrugged it off. “Don’t thank me, it’s what any friend would do.”

Archie’s smile faltered momentarily but before Cook could read anything into it came back full force. “Exactly, you are an awesome friend, Cook.”

A knot in his stomach made him wary of what was about to come.

*

But after that nothing happened. Cook had braced himself for the invite to whatever group date Archie could think up to woo his mystery girl. He hoped it was something he could believably bow out of. Maybe a museum or a concert of music he just wasn't into. He could let the rest go on without him and just catch the Cliffs Notes later.

He was caught off guard when Jason sat down next to him on the bus. "Hey Cook, we're thinking about going to see the Angels play on our day off next week. You down?"

"Sure?" He loved a good baseball game. Beer hot dogs and friends, who would turn that down? "Who all is going?"

Jason shrugged, "Ask Archie, he is the one planning it."

_Archie_ planned it? Was this his grand group date gesture? Which of the girls was into baseball? It couldn't be Carly, he knew for a fact she was ambivalent to the sport. Brooke maybe?

Jason looked over Cook’s shoulder and threw up two thumbs up, “Hey Arch! Cook’s coming!”

Cook turned to find Archie grinning at them both from the table at the front of the bus. “Awesome! We’re all going then.”

*

The tour manager had pretty much insisted that if they were all planning to go they needed to get a box. Cook had fought it a little; the best part of a baseball game was the people around you, but conceded defeat when it cut the amount of security they would have to bring by half. Nothing felt more awkward than walking through crowds with ten beefy guys staring everyone down.

And he had to admit that a box was pretty freaking snazzy. They got their own little kitchenette, a spread of food (even if they didn’t have hot dogs) and a huge icebox full of soda and beer. It was pretty much a little slice of heaven for their day off. They each had seat assignments but with in the first inning they had all traded back and forth a few times.

Carly sat down next to him at the beginning of the second, a beer in her hands and a serious look on her face. When she just stared at him for a minute he put his hands up to check there was nothing in his beard or on his face.

“Uh, Carly?” he tried.

She took a sip of her drink and leaned in close to him. “Are you planning on putting this kid out of his misery soon?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” he whispered back, suddenly acutely aware of the people around him pretending to watch the game while ears cocked to hear the conversation.

“Cook, come on,” Carly rolled her eyes. “You have to see what is going on here, right?”

He cocked an eyebrow and slowly shook his head. She squinted her eyes to glare at him but then they opened wide, her mouth turned to a soft, ‘oh’.

“You really don’t have any clue, do you?” she sighed. “My lord, I thought he was the only one being thick here, but you BOTH are. _Boys._”

Cook made a noise of protest but she shook her head and got up before he could defend himself. He looked around in a vain hope of someone playing translator for Carly’s cryptic telling to. They all were focused on the game play, a little too focused really, but he wasn’t sure he even wanted to know what was going on.

He couldn’t find Archie, though, and he stood up to see if he was in the box itself. When he walked in he saw the door open to reveal a semi panicked looking Archie, a security guard and a distant cry of, “Oh my gosh, DAVID ARCHULETA!”

The door closed behind him and he sagged a little in apparent relief.

“That was a close one,” Cook smiled. “What was so important you couldn’t find it in here?”

Archie held up his hands to reveal a tinfoil wrapped hot dog, which he offered to Cook. Shyly he said, “I knew that hot dogs are your favorite part of games.”

“They are,” Cook smiled, but then looked down again at the hot dog. He hadn’t said anything when they got to the game, “How’d you know that?”

Archie looked down and then back up at Cook before he admitted, “Michael told me.”

“Michael did?”

“Yea,” he nodded, his neck and then his face turning a pale pink. “And Carly reminded me you like baseball. “

Cook blinked and started to put things together. “So, you planned today for me?” Archie gave a small nod. “This is the group date, right?” Archie nodded again. “Your group date, is for _me_?”

“But,” Archie started. “If you don’t want it to be, it doesn’t have to be. I mean, if you aren’t into me, that’s… um. Fine? I just figured that maybe you were. You always are hanging around me, and you let me talk even when I think you want to go to sleep. And you have to admit we spend more time together than the others do, and we like _live_ together this summer. So if you were into it than it would be… What are you thinking?”

Cook thought about the last week, about helping Archie out and about all the time he had spent watching him. He thought about the sick feeling in his stomach when he thought it was Carly. About how he had finally gotten to the point of just wanting Archie to be happy and even more about how much he had wanted to be the one to make him happy. He thought about it all, but said nothing.

Instead he licked his lips nervously and leaned in to place a soft chaste kiss on Archie’s lips. Behind them he heard a raucous of claps and hoots, and when he pulled back he saw that none of the rest of the Idols were focused on the game. They all were leaned over their chairs and staring directly at them. He felt his own blush start but gave an over the top bow.

“Gosh, guys,” Archie turned his face into Cook’s chest to hide how bright red he was.

Cook pointed out to the field, “Watch the game, will you? We are going to need a moment.”

“Finally! I thought we were going to have to do an interpretive dance to get you to cotton on, Cook,” Michael rolled his eyes but turned back in his seat when the others did the same thing.

Archie looked up seeming content, and Cook felt himself soak up the smile meant only for him. He leaned down and gave him another slow kiss.

“You know, you were pretty sneaky with setting this up, Archie.”

With an innocent smile Archie replied, “I had a really good teacher along the way.”

*

The request was for Archie to seek Cook's advice on how to woo a date, that ended up being Cook himself.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic] Done Pretending](https://archiveofourown.org/works/430091) by [dodificus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dodificus/pseuds/dodificus)




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